Building the house of style
From Stevie Nicks‘ gauzy gypsy skirts to the Grateful Dead‘s tie-dyed T-shirts, music has always had a huge impact on fashion. But when MTV arrived, pop-influenced style exploded. Suddenly, teens from Akron to Alaska had a 24-hour buying guide right in their own living room. Skintight miniskirts and stilettos? Worked for Robert Palmer’s ladies, works for us. Lace-up platform shoes? Hey, even the Spice Girls made the cover of Vogue.
While MTV‘s impact on fashion is undeniable, its taste has been varied. Sometimes it’s awesome. (Thanks, in-“Vogue” Madonna!) And, well, sometimes it’s absolutely revolting. (S&M Britney, anyone?) So here are our fab formulas for a pitch-perfect style moment, decade by decade.
The ’80s …
Admit it: You briefly believed that it was okayto leave the house wearing spandex. Thanks to Olivia Newton-John’s “Let’s Get Physical” video, the “What a Feeling” you got from Jennifer Beals’ ripped sweatshirts in “Flashdance” and the Jane Fonda tapes that collected dust on your TV stand, exercise-chic meant it was acceptable to wear workout gear on the street. At the same time, Madonna dressed up her fans in more than just her love: The Material Girl’s bevy of bracelets and bold bra shapes shocked moms across the world. You can’t get much more fashion-forward than that
The ’90s…
Think of it as Fashion Unplugged. Unkempt. And unattractive. In the ’90s, earth-women became pop icons – and footage from the Lilith Fair, the all-female festival that kicked off in 1997, made stars of sweet sirens like Sarah McLachlan. Skirts flowed, crushed velvet made a comeback, and floppy hats shielded outdoor concert-goers from the dangerous rays of the sun. But other, more nefarious influences emerged. Though supermodel-hosted shows like “House of Style” offered trends and advice, the horrifying grunge epidemic inevitably infected the masses, cloaking its victims in flannel shirts, bizarre piercings and torn stockings.
Right now
Thought disco was flashy? Witness the new generation of trash and sass: Men in white suits at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, no-holds-barred bling on the red carpet and more nudity than a spring-break special. Style and music have become so closely linked, it’s no wonder we just saw J.Lo storming the runway at the end of her first fashion show.
There was also another tiny yet interesting mention of Madonna in the New York Daily News in an article by Jim Farber the other day. The article brings back the “did Video Kill the Radio Star? ” topic and discusses MTV‘s contribution to the music culture. And there comes another aknowledgement of Madonna‘s unique pioneering role:
“MTV‘s accent on image also encouraged artists to expose their personalities, an invitation most creatively embraced by Madonna, who practically defined the network’s first decade.” A caption on picture of Madonna‘s iconic debut at the VMAs 84 also reads: “A mix of sacred and sleaze made Madonna MTV’s biggest star.”
Source: New York Daily News